Take a swim down memory lane with this video highlighting my first 50 years with StarKist®. 50th Birthday The Big 5-0 and I swear I haven’t aged a day. What can I say? Tuna is one healthy fish. 2010 StarKist® Headquarters on Pittsburgh's Northside unveiled a giant lighted sign featuring me! Bright idea StarKist®! 2004 Walk of Fame I battled fin-to-fin with other iconic mascots when I was named part of the Advertising Week Walk of Fame on Madison Avenue in New York City. 2003 Rebel Without a Cause Actress Maila Nurmi, best known as 50’s television hostess Vampira, claims that actor James Dean created the original sketch of me on a napkin at Googie’s on Sunset Strip! Her claim is just one of the many mythical legends surrounding my rise to fame! Swimming the Red Carpet Ready for my close up! I swam down the red carpet at the first annual TV Land Awards®. 1999 Charlie's® Back in the Spotlight After a brief hiatus, I swam back to TV better and fitter than ever to introduce StarKist’s® innovative flavor fresh pouch®.

1996 Where are my fin-tip shoes? I grabbed my power suit, power tie and laced up my finest fin-tip shoes when I rang the bell on the Wall Street Stock Exchange. 1991 Premia In test markets I was introduced to a new love interest - Premia. She helped launch StarKist's® premium Chunk Light Tuna. After a brief relationship we swam our separate ways. But don't you worry! There are plenty of fish in the sea for good old Charlie®! 1990 Dolphin Safe StarKist® is all about keeping my finned friends safe. They were the first company to introduce “Dolphin Safe” Tuna. 1984 #1 I helped StarKist® officially become the number one brand of tuna. Ninety percent of consumers recognized our "Sorry Charlie®" advertising. Just like StarKist®, our consumers have good taste! 1968 Mascot Charlie® The good folks of Charleston, Oregon erected a statue in my honor and named me mascot of the town! The statue came down in 2008, but for forty years, people would stop for photos with me. And who can blame them?

Look at those dashing good looks and chiseled features! 1962 Sorry Charlie® Just one year after my debut “Sorry Charlie®” had already become a part of the American lexicon. I’m surprised it took that long. The quote has gone on to become one of the most popular and recognizable phrases in American pop culture. 1961 Tuna that tastes good! Leo gave a call over to his animation friends at DePatie-Freleng Enterprises. They immediately thought of me! We worked hand in fin on an animated commercial featuring me, Charlie the Tuna! Some people think my voice sounds a lot like the actor Herschel Bernardi. We both sound Brooklyn street savvy with a side of Broadway culture. Voice over artist, Danny Dark, “The King of Voice Over Artists,” was cast as the narrator, uttering his famous line “Sorry Charlie®, StarKist® doesn’t want tuna with good taste, but tuna that tastes good!”.

1958 Fishy StarKist® hired advertising legend Leo Burnett to develop a new campaign to “establish a quality image for StarKist® tuna and distinguish it from its main competitor.” Leo did his research and discovered a simple truth: Consumers want tuna that tastes good. They don’t like tuna that tastes “fishy.” Mascots Are Brands' Best Social-Media Accessories | News - AdAge Mascots Are Brands' Best Social-Media Accessories Age-Old Marketing Fixture Finds Renewed Relevancy as Advertisers Seek 'Voice' for Twitter, Facebook, YouTube By E.J. Schultz . Published on March 26, 2012 . Charlie the Tuna earned a new catchphrase. Spam spawned Sir Can-A-Lot. M&M's Ms. Brown runs her own Pandora channel. And Captain Morgan made his TV debut. Brand mascots are rebounding as marketers redeploy old characters in new ways, create fresh ones from scratch and use digital media to spin out rich storylines not possible in the past, when critters and cartoon characters were pretty much confined to TV. While it might be too early to declare a full-fledged mascot revival, brand characters are undoubtedly regaining attention.

Mascots are "the gift that keeps on giving," said Carol Phillips, president of consulting group Brand Amplitude. "They never get in trouble with the law. They don't up their fees. You can use them for a long, long time." Many have been around for what seems like forever. Aunt Jemima and the Michelin Man both date back to the 1890s. Characters picked up steam in the early days of TV advertising, the 1950s and "60s, when Leo Burnett launched classics such as Tony the Tiger and the Pillsbury Doughboy. But character development suffered as marketers gravitated toward shorter commercials, according to Ms. Phillips, a former Leo Burnett staffer who worked on Charlie the Tuna. Today, social media is giving marketers a whole new playground to test and nurture mascots. "I think the web is going to [bring] a heyday for creating new characters and stories," Ms. Phillips said. It's on the way there. Consider Kraft Foods , which recently gave us a character who lives almost entirely online. His name is Peanut Butter Doug, introduced to plug Kraft's new Planters Peanut Butter.

Doug serves as the stunt double for the 96-year-old Mr. Peanut -- also part of the mascot resurgence, thanks to a 2010 refresh, when he got an earthier look and a voice for the first time, supplied by Robert Downey Jr. Doug, voiced by Kevin Dillon, specializes in getting crunched into peanut butter while subbing for Mr. Peanut in violent scenes, such as getting flattened by a falling statue. Much like Mr. Dillon's Johnny Drama character on HBO's "Entourage," Doug is a lovable wannabe star who for now can't even get his own Facebook page, so he rents space on Mr. Peanut's page. That's part of the beauty of launching a character in the social-media era. With a limited investment, Kraft can monitor how well Doug is playing in front of Planters' most engaged fans, said Scott Marcus, senior brand manager for Planters. "It's the perfect audience to get a sense of "Is this thing working?'" (Planters' agency is Being , part of TBWA .) Other brands have gone all-in right away, making mascots the star of TV ads while using the internet to develop more-involved storylines.

Kraft, for instance, is promoting its Milkbite granola bar brand with a part-milk, part-granola puppet named Mel who battles low self-esteem and identity issues. The brainchild of brand agency Droga5 , Mel posts regular video diaries on the brand's Facebook page, including a recent entry in which he joins an art-therapy group to work through his "existential crisis." Make no mistake, these are not casual investments. Scotts Miracle-Gro Co., for instance, mulled a couple of concepts for its character and chose "Scott," a Scottish lawn-care expert, over Lonnie Lawns. The marketer also wrestled with whether Scott should have a Scottish or English accent, finally picking Scottish because it tested as more friendly and approachable, said Scott Crockett, a principal at Richards Group, the brand's agency. After all, nobody wants a mean lawn expert. Iconic comebacks include Charlie the Tuna, who stars in a StarKist TV campaign with a twist: The classic "Sorry, Charlie" is replaced by "Thanks, Charlie" -- meant to remind consumers that tuna is a healthy choice.

Once a cigar-smoking caricature, Charlie is now "really more your pal," said Carrie Parks, partner and group director at MMB, the brand's agency. Alka-Seltzer's baby-faced Speedy, who retired in 1964 only to return sporadically, is back full-time in TV ads by Energy BBDO . First redeployed in 2010, Speedy has "significantly increased [brand] recall" and is getting more media investment "than there's ever been before," said Barton Warner , VP-U.S. marketing and new business for Bayer health care and consumer care. Mars Chocolate North America, meanwhile, used advertising's biggest stage to unveil its sixth M&M's character, making "Ms. Brown" the star of a multimillion-dollar Super Bowl ad. And the marketer did not stop there. The sharp-tongued Ms. Brown, created by BBDO, New York, held a live video chat with followers on Facebook and appeared on NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice." She even has her own channel on Pandora. (She is apparently a fan of the Eurythmics.) Last month, Spam rolled out the first mascot in the brand's 75-year history.

A primary motivation for creating the animated Sir Can-A-Lot, was to drive social-media conversation. (The agency is BBDO, Minneapolis.) In many cases, consumers would rather interact online with a cute or cuddly character than with a faceless corporate executive, said Marta Majewska, VP-digital and social-media strategist for public-relations firm Porter Novelli. "It's easier to have a casual conversation," she said. Of course, mascot marketing is not always foolproof, or everlasting. Consider Burger King, which a few years ago revived its King mascot as a mime-like figure with an oversize head who eerily appeared in unexpected places. Though initially lauded by some, the creepy King apparently wore thin and was recently ditched, along with agency CP&B . The fast-feeder's new shop, McGarryBowen , has returned to more product-focused messaging. Other reinventions have gone more smoothly. For instance, last year Diageo recreated Captain Morgan in an ad campaign from Anomaly set in the 1600s and inspired by real-life privateer Captain Henry Morgan.

The effort marked the character's first TV appearance and drew praise from unlikely quarters, such as a beer conference where MillerCoors CEO Tom Long called it an example of breakthrough booze marketing. And the Captain was among the first to come aboard when Facebook rolled out brand timelines recently, marking yet another mascot milestone. In this article: All-time Best Corporate Character Mascots - IPWatchdog.com | Patents & Patent Law Subscribe to our Blog via email All-time Best Corporate Character Mascots Print Article Recently Inc.com published an article titled The Art and Science of Corporate Icons , which discusses Skeeter the squirrel, who is apparently the only squirrel in the world allergic to nuts. Skeeter is also the cartoon mascot for Skeeter Snacks , a line of nut-free cookies created by Dave Leyrer and Pete Najarian, whose target audience is parents with children who have allergies to nuts. The Inc.com article, discussed the creation of Skeeter from the drawing board to the finished product, including what aspects of this critter they wanted to depict their brand.

They wanted the product to not only be affordable and appealing to kids but also to show that they were “more playful than other allergen-free brands.” When speaking of a company’s brand, most people are referring to the company’s name or logo. But for many companies, it is the mascot that makes up the biggest and most memorable aspect of their brand, not only because it is recognizable to that company and it’s product but also because it gives the company an opportunity to showcase more of a personality behind its brand. Promoting one’s Brand, including names, logos and mascots have become increasingly popular over the years, so much so that there are now board games and game apps dedicated solely to trivia of the recognition and knowledge of popular company brands. Needless to say, reading the article on Skeeter Snacks got us thinking about other iconic mascots that have been used by companies over the years to promote their brands and products. So, based on no scientific research, surveys or opinions other than our own, we compiled the following list of iconic characters that we feel are the best and most memorable, corporate character mascots of all times.

And what better time than the start of a new year (okay, we are less than 5 weeks into one anyway) to add a new Best of the Best list into the mix. ***Note — You will notice there are no cereal or fast food related characters on the list. With so many to choose from specifically related to cereals and fast food chains, we decided to follow up with a separate article on cereal mascots in the future. Hopefully these will bring back some happy memories. Jump in and let us know what you think and certainly feel free to point out any that we left out. Without further ado… GEICO® ~ (1999-Present) The Geico Gecko® that is the most prevalent spokesperson for Geico insurance was developed from a creative session at the Martin Agency in Richmond, VA and came about because people thought “Geico” sounded like “Gecko.” The gecko made his debut during the 1999-2000-television season and continues to be their strongest mascot to date.

AFLAC® ~ (1999-Present) The AFLAC Duck was created in 1999 by the Kaplan Thaler Group Advertising Agency and made his debut in 2000. The concept was born after one of the art directors realized that Aflac sounded like a duck quaking. Voiced by Gilbert Gottfried, this little ducky makes us want to scream AFLAC. ENERGIZER® BATTERIES ~ (1988-Present) The icon and mascot of Energizer batteries, the Energizer Bunny was designed by DDB Chicago Advertising and made its first appearance in 1988. This pink toy rabbit wearing sunglasses, blue and white sandals and an energizer logo clad bass drum strapped to his chest never says a word, but continuously beats on his drum. He was originally created as a parody to the TV ads for Duracell, Energizer’s biggest competitor where a set of battery-operated, drum-playing toy rabbits gradually slow to a halt until only the toy powered by Duracell remains active. However, the Energizer Bunny has kept on going and going and going since 1988.

CHEETOS® ~ (1986-Present) Chester Cheetah® – Voiced by Adam Leadbeater, Chester Cheetah made his debut in 1986 when he took the place of the original Cheetos Mouse. Chester originally became popular with the saying, “It ain’t easy bein’ cheesy.” Chester’s go-to phrase then changed to “The cheese that goes crunch!” Ultimately that gave way in 1996 to “Dangerously cheesy!” KOOL-AID® ~ (1975-Present) General Foods hired Marvin Plots, an art director for the New York Agency, to create an image for their flavored Drink Mix in 1954. Inspired by his son, who liked to draw smiley faces on frosted window panes, he created the Pitcher Man, a glass pitcher with a wide smile on it’s side and filled with Kool Aid. Then, in 1975, Pitcher Man evolved into a walking/talking 6-foot-tall pitcher of cherry Kool-Aid and the Kool Aide Man was born.

When thirsty kids called upon him with “Hey, Kool-Aid!” the Kool Aid Man, a super-hero of sorts, would burst through walls with his signature chant of “Oh yeah!” and save them from their thirst. FRUIT OF THE LOOM® ~ (1975-Present) Fruit of the Loom Guys debuted in 1975 and originally consisted of men wearing an apple a green leaf and green and red grape costumes. This campaign increased brand recognition to 98% and these mascots are still popular and seen on television commercials regularly today. KEEBLER® ~ (1969-Present) The Keebler Elves led by “Ernest J. Keebler“, or “Ernie“, rank among the best-known characters from commercials. The elves were created by non other than Leo Burnett in 1969 (Think Charlie Tuna and Pillsbury Dough Boy – Man this guy was good!) and consisted of the elves baking treats with their magic oven inside a hollow tree located in the fictional town of “Sylvan Glen”. Ernie and the elves have been the symbol for Keebler ever since.

9 LIVES® CAT FOOD ~ (1968-Present) Morris the Cat was an orange Tabby cat voiced by John Irwin. He was known as “the world’s most finicky cat” because he refused to eat anything other than 9 Lives cat food. Three different cats have played the famed “Morris the Cat” thus far. The original Morris, previously named Lucky, was discovered in 1968 at the Hinsdale Humane Society in Chicago Bob Martwick of the Leo Burnett advertising agency came to see “Lucky” just 20 minutes before he was to be euthanized. The first Morris died in 1978 and was subsequently replaced by two more cats since then. All three of the “Morris the Cat” cats were rescued from shelters. PILLSBURY® ~ (1965-Present) The Pillsbury Dough Boy was created by Leo Barnett and made his debut in 1965. Pacific Data Images later modernized the mascot into the animated version of the Pillsbury Doug Boy that we see in commercials today. Originally called Poppin’ Fresh, the Pillsbury Doughboy is best known for his catchy giggle when someone pokes his belly.

“Nothin’ Says Lovin’ Like Pillsbury in the Oven!” MRS. BUTTERWORTH’S® (PINNACLE FOODS) ~ (1961-Present) Mrs. Butterworth’s® who made her debut in 1961, as a non-animated glass bottle shaped to look like a grandmotherly woman in an apron. In the later ad campaign the bottle comes to life and talks about how her syrup is “So thick. So rich and Still Just As Sweet.” Mary Kay Bergman was the main person used to voice Mrs. Butterworth’s until her death in 1999. TOYS R’ US ~ (1960-Present) Formally known as Dr. G. Raffe of Children’s Bargaintown in the 1950s, Geoffrey was famous for saying things “Toys ‘R’ Us.” This quote is what paved the way for the company’s future. In 1965, Children’s Bargaintown changed its name to Toys ‘R’ Us and with that Dr. G. Raffe got a makeover to look more life-like and officially named Geoffrey by Toys ‘R’ Us.

Geoffrey appeared in his first television commercial in 1973. As the company grew, so did Geoffrey’s family. In the late 1970’s the company introduced his wife Gigi and their children Junior and Baby Gee. As part of this ad campaign, Toys ‘R’ Us started depicting Geoffrey as a family man, living in a New England light house and driving the Geoffreymobile, which was a double-decker bus fueled by potato chips. In 1999, Geoffrey’s family bowed out of the spotlights, so he alone could “personify the nature true of Toys ‘R’ Us customers: kids. His new image after that was being a light-hearted kid himself. In 2001 Geoffrey was altered for the 5th time, this time going from a cartoon character to a real live Giraffe. Finally in 2007 he was once again redesigned, only this time he was once again depicted as a cartoon character and his spots were replaced with stars to represent the magic of the Toys ‘R’ Us brand.

STARKIST® TUNA ~ (1958-Present) Leo Burnett developed the StarKist’s mascot, Charlie Tuna, in 1958. They hired him to create a campaign that would “establish a quality image for StarKist Tuna” that would distinguish them from their main competitor. In 1961, Depatie Freleng Studios began production of an animated version of Charlie the Tuna for a television ad campaign. Charlie Tuna was voiced by actor Herschel Bernardi because they said he provided “just the right combination of Brooklyn street-tough, and Broadway culture to Charlie’s demeanor.” MR. CLEAN® (PROCTER & GAMBLE) ~ (1957-Present) Mr. Clean® was created in 1957 and the first Mr. Clean product was placed on supermarket shelves the following year. Originally drawn by Richard Black of Dayton, OH, Mr. Clean was depicted as a tall, muscular, tan, bald man. The jingle, which is the longest running jingle in television history was written and recorded by Thomas Scott Cadden of Skokie, IL. In 1962 Mr. Clean was finally given a first name.

His first name became “Veritably” as the result of P&G’s “Give Mr. Clean a First Name” Promotion. So he is Mr. Veritably Clean. M&M Candies ~ (1954-Present) M&M Candies were introduced in 1941 as a staple for American GI’s serving in WWII. In 1954 the tagline “Mets In Your Mouth, Not In Your Hands” was born and with that the original M&Ms Characters made their television debut. In the beginning M&M’s were brown, but in 1960 Yellow, Red and Green were added to the mix. In 1976 Orange was added, and in 1995, over 10 million people voted to add blue to the color mix as well. The mascots evolved in the late 90’s into the 6 different characters we all know and love today. Each has his/her own recognizable characteristics and distinct personalities. Ms. Brown (Female) – A corporate executive, the Original Milk Chocolate, holds the title of Chief Chocolate Officer.

She is an intelligent woman with a sharp wit, who finally decided to reveal herself in 2012 after being behind the scenes since 1941. Red (Male) – He is the unofficial “leader” of the pack. He is quite a character, witty, sarcastic and quite the jokester. Red is shorter than the other M&Ms (except for Crispy) and has somewhat of a Napoleon Complex because of it. A self-proclaimed ladies man, Red is always trying to impress Green. Yellow (Male) – Yellow, the official Spokescandy for peanut M&Ms, is Red’s sidekick. He is quite the follower and will do basically anything Red wants him to do. He’s a bit “slower” than the other M&Ms. He reminds me a bit of Patrick Star Fish from SpongeBob Square Pants. Green (Female) – Made her debut in 1997. With perky lips, high heels or knee-high boots and a super, sultry voice, she is what one would call “a sex symbol” in the candy world.

Most of the commercials where she is the star ends in Blue, Red and Yellow left speechless, staring at her with their mouths dropped practically to the floor.. Orange (Male) – Also known as Crispy, he is obsessed with his own crispiness and paranoid that he will be eaten at any moment. His motto of sorts is “I’m a dead man.” In 2010, Orange became the Official Spokescandy for Pretzel M&Ms Blue (Male) – He is the Cool Guy of the group. He’s always talking with his agent to try and negotiate a better deal. His motto is “Never Let ‘Em See You Melt!” GREEN GIANT VEGETABLES ~ (1928-Present) The Jolly Green Giant® was created in 1925 for the Minnesota Valley Canning Company and named after a variety of particularly large peas He did not make his first appearance in advertising until 1928. The Giant, with his signature “Ho, Ho, Ho!” became so widely popular and recognized as the company brand that the company was renamed The Green Giant Company in 1950.

PLANTERS® PEANUTS ~ (1916-Present) 97 Years and Counting Mr. Peanut came to life in 1916 when Planter’s Peanuts held a contest and offered a prize to anyone who could create a suitable trademark for Planters. The winner of the contest happened to be a 14-year old boy who submitted his drawing of a peanut with arms, legs and a face. Mr. Peanut later evolved over time to include a top hat, monocle and cane. Now as The Social Media Diva, it is my job to promote our social media, so… Please Visit & “Like” us on Facebook Link to us on LinkedIn @ipwatchdog and @reneequinn and @akrippner The Author Renee Quinn is the Chief Operating Officer, Marketing Director and Business Manager for IPWatchdog, Inc. She has worked with IPWatchdog since April 2006, where she is in charge of all of the day to day, behind-the-scenes operations of IPWatchdog. She also handles all marketing and advertising inquires and is the first point of contact for IPWatchdog.

Renée holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and a Masters of Business Administration. She writes on various business and social media topics for IPWatchdog.com and is available to consult with individuals and businesses on how to set up and effectively use social media and social networking tools to establish a successful marketing campaign. Posted In: Brand Building , IP News , IPWatchdog.com Articles , Marketing , Trademark , Trademark Basics Warning & Disclaimer: The pages, articles and comments on IPWatchdog.com do not constitute legal advice, nor do they create any attorney-client relationship. The articles published express the personal opinion and views of the author and should not be attributed to the author’s employer, clients or the sponsors of IPWatchdog.com. Read more . Discuss this There are currently 10 Comments comments. Deanna February 12, 2013 7:31 am People do not buy products because of mascots, logos and trademarks. This is a dumb delusional article. Renee C. Quinn February 12, 2013 8:36 am Deanna, No where in the article do I specifically say that people buy products because of mascots, logos and trademarks.

However, that absolutely is the case and your statement is 100% false. Mascots, logos and trademarks make up a company brand. People buy things they like and the brand of an item makes it memorable and likable. In the case of M&M’s, people spend billions of dollars on M&Ms character products. Clothing such as T-shirts and pajama’s, cups, coffee mugs and candy dispensers are some of the hottest sellers. In 2012, M&M’s had $3.49 billion in global sales, a large portion of which was on M&Ms Character products and not just the candy itself. Think about non-food related characters such as Batman, Superman and Barbie. Those three names alone are all recognizable trademarks, logos and mascots for their individual brands. How many Batman, Superman and Barbie items are sold each year that are not the three characters themselves? Again, clothing, toys (other than the dolls) mugs, cards, pez dispensers, etc. The dollar amounts are staggering. They are sold 100% because of their brand. So yes, people DO buy products because of a mascot, logo or trademark.

I feel really bad for you that you would characterize something that is fun as dumb and delusional. I am not one for name calling, but if you truly believe that people do not purchase items because of their brands, then one could say that you were being dumb and delusional yourself. Nevertheless, thank you for reading IPWatchdog.com. We appreciate all of those who read us. -Renee Memorable advertising icons - Photo 1 - Pictures - CBS News Memorable advertising icons You know them. They're like old friends...even the new ones (a talking gecko?!) These sometimes absurd characters have been invented to sell you something, and the good ones found their way into pop culture. Here's a look at some of the world's most memorable and beloved advertising icons. Credit: Pillsbury The Quaker Oats Man - the first registered trademark for cereal, dating back to 1877. Credit: Quaker Oats Bibendum, commonly referred to as the Michelin Man, is the symbol of the Michelin tire company. He is one of the world's oldest trademarks. This poster is from 1898.

Credit: Michelin Betty Crocker as she first appeared in 1936 (far left). At right, Her image changed with the times, with alterations to her hair, makeup and jewelry. (Clockwise from top left: 1955, 1965, 1969, 1986, 1980 and 1972.) Credit: Betty Crocker A 1918 advertisement for Planters Peanuts, featuring the iconic Mr. Peanut. Credit: Planters Mr.Peanut as he appeared in 1943. Credit: Planters A 1911 advertising campaign for Morton's Salt was the origin of the Umbrella Girl and their slogan, "When it Rains it Pours." The girl's look has been modernized over the years, but her salt still pours even in inclement weather. Credit: Morton Salt Charlie the Tuna, the dapper cartoon mascot for StarKist Tuna, was created in 1961.

Charlie's goal was to be caught by StarKist, because he believed he had "good taste." But he was always rejected, in the form of a note on a fishing hook that read, "Sorry, Charlie." Credit: StarKist The Kool-Aid Man, a friendly pitcher promoting the popular drink mix, first appeared as The Pitcher Man in 1954. Here he is in a 1956 ad. Credit: Kool-Aid The Pitcher Man officially became the Kool-Aid Man in 1975, the same year this ad was made. Credit: Kool-Aid Mr. Clean made his television debut in 1958. Here he is in an advertisement from that same year, which proves even manly men wear aprons. Credit: Procter & Gamble The Jolly Green Giant, mascot of the Green Giant food company, first appeared in advertisements in 1928 for the Minnesota Valley Canning Company, and proved so popular the company took their mascot's name. Credit: Green Giant Tony the Tiger and his "They're Grrrrreat!" catch-phrase have been around since 1952.

Credit: Kellogg's "Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids!" That cereal-loving rabbit debuted in 1959. Credit: General Mills The animated Keebler Elves are led by Ernest J. Keebler (or Ernie). The elves first appeared in 1968. Credit: Keebler The Aflac duck has been quacking about insurance since 2000. Credit: Aflac Travelocity's garden gnome has been traveling the world since 2004. Some believe the idea for the ad campaign was inspired by the 2001 film "Amelie," in which a French woman conspires to have her father's garden gnome photographed around the globe. But a Wall Street Journal article suggests the idea was inspired by an Australian prankster in the 1980s.

Credit: Travelocity Superbrands Israel - From tuna fish to salad in 10 seconds Superbrands בישראל | הארגון העולמי | סיפורי מותג | מועדון ה-Superbrands | תהליך הבחירה | הזמן ספר | מי אנחנו | כתבו עלינו From tuna fish to salad in 10 seconds In line with the continued implementation of the company’s strategy of expanding the use of tuna to cooking and baking, this year Starkist Food d’Or launched two new products, especially suitable for the most popular uses of tuna in Israel: StarKist Le-Salad and StarKist Le-Sandwich Published: 15.11.2015 18:00 In 1910, Yugoslav immigrant Martin Bogdanovich bought a fishing boat and began fishing along the California coast. Eight years later, during the First World War, Bogdanovich and his five partners founded French Sardine Co., supplying canned tuna to US troops fighting on the European front. In 1942 the company changed its name to StarKist.

Starkist Food D’or, established in 1999 by Michael Mitelman, holds the exclusive and permanent concession in Israel for the StarKist brand. In 2009 “Diplomat” acquired 50% of the company’s shares, becoming its distributor and partner. Competition The Israeli canned fish market has an annual turnover of over NIS 500 million (in consumer prices). The canned tuna category accounts for a large share of this market, in which StarKist holds over 40% market share (Storenext, 2015 data). The past two years have seen a revival in the tuna category, resulting from a number of parallel events: global decline in the price of raw material of tuna; and the conclusions of the Trachtenberg Committee for Social & Economic Change, possibly leading to reduced taxation on imported goods. In addition, Israeli food chains have realized that canned tuna is a basic staple – and as a result canned tuna has gained center stage in sales promotion campaigns. The accumulative result of the above is increased competition, and price erosion. Le Sandwich.

Prepared in 8 seconds exactly Marketing Challenge Contrary to competitors in the category, for years StarKist has opted for the value strategy, refusing to be sidetracked by prices. The brand’s biggest challenge is to maintain its market share without eroding prices, while giving consumers a real and tangible added value in all their dealings with the brand. Creative Solutions Studies by StarKist show that approx. 70% of Israeli consumers add tuna to their salad, 72% use it to prepare sandwiches, while 55% use tuna as an ingredient for tuna spread with mayonnaise. The company realized that targeted products developed specifically for these uses would be attractive to most consumers, significantly improving their consumer experience and increasing sales. Based on these conclusions, in 2015, following two years of development, Starkist Food d’Or launched two new product lines: StarKist Le-Salad. A unique development worldwide – Canned tuna chunks mixed with salad dressing. Simply open a can, empty its contents into a bowl of chopped vegetables, and mix. The product line includes three choices of dressing: Vinaigrette, Caesar or Oil-garlic-lemon. StarKist Le-Sandwich.

A line of tuna and reduced fat mayonnaise sandwich spreads, with a choice of one of the following three flavors: pickles, chili or fried onion. These two new products do not require refrigeration, are convenient and portable. However, contrary to other “on-the-go” products, in which quality and flavor are often compromised for convenience - StarKist insisted on developing especially high-quality products. During its production process, the tuna is cooked together with either dressing or mayonnaise, allowing it to absorb flavors and creating a unique and improved flavor experience compared with the homemade alternative. Le Salad. Just add vegetables In the new StarKist commercial, a busy mother mounts a heavy motorcycle and heads out on a speedy road trip while preparing a salad or sandwich. In the end of the commercial the mother says: “there are other ways to prepare a tuna salad (or sandwich)”, and the announcer presents the new product line. The concept of speed was also communicated in adverts and billboards with messages such as “from 0 to sandwich in 8 seconds”.

The new product lines join a range of products launched by Starkist Food d’Or in recent years, all aimed at innovating and expanding the category: flavored tuna, 5% fat tuna, 99 calorie tuna in olive oil (with plastic cap and fork), smoked tuna fillets and tuna in extra virgin olive oil. Tuna Use – Expended As mentioned above, Starkist studies have shown that nearly all tuna consumed in Israel is in sandwiches, salads or directly out of the can. Moreover, 75% of tuna in Israel is consumed during dinner – normally a light meal. Following these findings, the company concluded that in order to increase tuna consumption, a far reaching marketing campaign is needed, aimed at educating the market to use tuna in cooked dishes – uses which at the time constituted only about 10% of the population’s overall tuna consumption. Consequently, a long-term strategy was developed to increase tuna consumption, based on two current trends which have gathered momentum in the Israeli market in recent years: 1. A proliferation of “foodies” – consumers who watch cooking programs on TV, like to cook and are open to experiment with new recipes and ingredients. 2.

An increased awareness of “ethical food consumption” – one of the basic tenets of which is reduced consumption of red meat and poultry and a search for protein substitutes. In order to inspire consumers with the wide range of cooking and baking possibilities with tuna, the company launched branded health and nutrition content channels, appearing on the Israeli news website ynet and life-style website Xnet. In addition, dozens of tuna-based recipes were produced and published in lifestyle and culinary magazines, with similar recipes prepared by leading chefs on Channel 2 and Channel 10 cooking shows. To support this campaign by increasing the product’s’ shelf visibility, the brand’s packaging design was updated – especially the cardboard packaging of the 4-pack – the company’s bestselling product – with each package showing a picture of a tuna-based dish and directing consumers to the full recipe on the company’s website. Finally, a multi-channeled campaign was launched during the past year, presenting tuna variations of popular dishes from the Italian, Moroccan and Asian kitchens. Starkist. More than just a canned tuna Low-Sodium Tuna It is well-known that excess consumption of sodium contributes to high blood pressure and increases the risk of a stroke, cardiovascular disease, renal insufficiency and more.

To cope with these risks, the Ministry of Health launched a national plan for reducing sodium consumption among the general population, encouraging self-regulation by local food manufacturers to reduce sodium levels in their products. Following its strong commitment towards consumer health and recognition of the fact that its product holds a central place on the Israeli dinner table – by the end of 2014 StarKist reduced sodium levels in all its products by approx. 20%. In addition, this year the company launched a new product, unique in the Israeli market: low sodium tuna in oil or in water, containing approx. 80% or 50% less sodium compared to the regular product in oil or water (respectively). Le Salad campaign. The need for speed Things You Didn’t Know About StarKist 92 cans of StarKist tuna are opened in Israel every minute. StarKist products contain no preservatives. StarKist is the first tuna brand to launch the 4-pack package in Israel – the best-selling tuna product in the country. 75% of tuna consumption in Israel is during dinner. For the past five years, StarKist products have won the “Product of the Year” international innovation award and Superbrands marketing excellence title.

‘Charlie the Tuna’, the brand’s cartoon mascot, was created in 1961 by advertiser Tom Rogers. Some of the brand's milestones: 1942 Mr. Peanut has changed his look, but never his definitive style, over the decades. Poppin' Fresh the Pillsbury Doughboy, one of the most beloved American food product icons. An old-time Aunt Jemima advertisement. Aunt Jemima has since taken on a more modern look. Native American groups object to stereotypes of American Indians such as this Sue Bee Honey logo. Always scheming to get into the tuna can, always having to say he's sorry, that's Charlie Tuna. The URL of this site is: Food Advertising Icons and Trade Characters In 2004, an online survey via Yahoo! and USA Today involving nearly 700,000 participants chose the nation�s most popular advertising icons. Four of the five top finishers�the M&M characters, Mr. Peanut, The Pillsbury Doughboy, and Tony the Tiger�represented food companies. Mr.

Peanut, the dapper representative of Planter�s Nuts, has been showing off his top hat and cane on the American advertising scene since 1916. America�s oldest food advertising icon, the Quaker Oats Man, came onto the scene in 1877. Tony the Tiger began his career promoting Kellogg�s Frosted Flakes in 1952. Ronald McDonald began his hamburger empire in 1963 (his rival, the magical Burger King, did not appear until the late 1970s). The Jolly Green Giant has been pushing his vegetables since 1928 (though his partner the Little Green Sprout did not appear until 1973.) The singing California raisins hit the stage in 1986. �Poppin� Fresh,� the Pillsbury Doughboy, first saw the light of television in a commercial for the company�s crescent rolls in 1965.

Poppin� Fresh collectables are highly coveted: dozens of Christmas ornaments, coin banks, mixing bowls and baking dishes, salt and pepper shakers, cookie jars, figurines, greeting cards, jewelry, key chains, magnets, coffee mugs, tea kettles, kitchen utensils, watches, and of course stuffed toy images of the lovable doughboy make the rounds of online auctions and collector�s clubs. But the doughboy isn�t the only food icon with a fan club. The cherubic �Campbell Kids� have been gracing the soup company�s advertising in various manifestations since 1904 and have been collected for nearly that long. A number of food advertising icons have African-American roots. Aunt Jemima (pancake mixes), Uncle Ben (rice) and Uncle Rastus (popularly called the �Cream of Wheat Chef�) all have roots in racial stereotypes. Aunt Jemima�s character was based on a real woman, Nancy Green; beginning in 1893, Green began a career of playing Aunt Jemima for promotional events; her image became the icon it still is.

Rastus, the Cream of Wheat chef, began as an invented woodcut image that was replaced in the 1920s by the photograph of a black Chicago waiter, name unknown, that is still on supermarket shelves today. Uncle Ben�s history dates back to the 1940s, when the image of Chicago Maitre D� Frank Brown, a good friend of the product�s developers, was used for the popular rice. Generations ago the terms �Aunt� and �Uncle� were used by whites to address older African-Americans in a way thought for years to be demeaning and patronizing. The subject of protests in the 1950s, Aunt Jemima�s image was modernized; she lost the distinctive �mammy� kerchief that had been viewed as a mark of servility.

One of the great food icons of the past was the �Frito Bandito,� a shoot-�em-up cartoon image of a Mexican bandit, complete with sombrero, cartridge belt, and exaggerated Mexican accent; the bandito arrived in 1967 as a spokesman for Fritos corn chips but soon inspired such protest from Mexican-American groups that he was retired in 1971. The Native-American community has not been as effective in removing stereotypical images on products, particularly foods: Big Chief Sugar, Crazy Horse Malt Liquor, Sue Bee Honey, the Land O� Lakes Maiden (in continuous use on butter packages since the 1920s), and Calumet Baking Powder being only a few of hundreds of examples. Breakfast cereals have been particularly fertile proving grounds for advertising icons, many of which have appeared in animated form in television commercials. Snap, Crackle and Pop began advertising Kellogg�s Rice Krispies in a 1933 radio advertisement (the idea is that the cereal itself makes a noise like �snap, crackle and pop� when milk is added).

Quaker Oats� Cap�n Horatio Crunch has been piloting the good ship Guppy since the mid 1960s. General Mills� Lucky Charms marshmallow cereal has been featuring Lucky the Leprechaun since 1964. Cornelius the Kellogg�s Corn Flakes rooster has been a fixture since 1954; the Trix rabbit has been on its box since 1959; Toucan Sam began advertising Kellogg�s Fruit Loops in 1963, had his beak shortened in the 1970s, and introduced his three nephews to the scene in 1994; Raisin Bran�s animated sun Sunny came into prominence in 1966. But cereal has no monopoly on food animation. Charlie Tuna, spokes-fish for StarKist brand, acts as a real �wise guy,� though his hip attitude invariably leads to the much-imitated catch phrase �Sorry Charlie,� you may be hip, but your tuna meat isn�t quite up to our standards.

The Kool Aid Man, fabricated from a glass pitcher presumably filled with the sugary refresher, came into being when foods giant Kraft purchased the company in 1970. Created by General Mills in 1921, fictitious baking expert �Betty Crocker� has enjoyed eight different images since that time. Elsie the Cow, originally a cartoon celebrity in her own right, was adopted as spokeswoman by the Borden dairy company in the 1960s.

Question: What tuna brand uses a cartoon mascot known as Charlie the Tuna to advertise their product?
Answer: StarKist